Image forming apparatus and image forming method

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an output image on a medium based on image information, and a control unit configured to calculate a merit value that benefits a user according to a maintenance work of the apparatus carried out by the user.

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming unit configured to form an output image on a medium based on image information; and   a control unit configured to calculate a merit value that benefits a user according to a maintenance work of the apparatus carried out by the user.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit totals values acquired by weighting the number of times of each maintenance work carried out by the user to calculate the merit value. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the maintenance work includes at least one of component replacement and image quality adjustment in the apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the maintenance work includes at least one of toner box replacement, charger cleaning, and color calibration. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the merit value is a value subtracted from a total billing count value for billing the user. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the merit value is a value to increase the number of times the apparatus can operate. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a data item indicating whether calculation of the merit value is valid or invalid is provided,
 when the item indicates that the calculation is valid, the control unit executes the calculation of the merit value, and   when the data item indicates that the calculation is invalid, the control unit does not execute the calculation of the merit value.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit finds a value corresponding to the number of times of each maintenance work carried out by the user, then totals the value and calculates the merit value. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the maintenance work includes at least one of component replacement and image quality adjustment in the apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the maintenance work includes at least one of toner box replacement, charger cleaning, and color calibration. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the merit value is a value subtracted from a total billing count value for billing the user. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the merit value is a value to increase the number of times the apparatus can operate. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein a data item indicating whether calculation of the merit value is valid or invalid is provided,
 when the item indicates that the calculation is valid, the control unit executes the calculation of the merit value, and   when the data item indicates that the calculation is invalid, the control unit does not execute the calculation of the merit value.   
     
     
         14 . An image forming method for an image forming apparatus comprising an image forming unit configured to form an output image to a medium based on image information, the method comprising:
 calculating a merit value that benefits a user according to a maintenance work of the apparatus carried out by the user.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein in the calculation of the merit value, values acquired by weighting the number of times of each maintenance work carried out by the user are totaled to calculate the merit value. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the maintenance work includes at least one of component replacement and image quality adjustment in the apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the merit value is a value subtracted from a total billing count value for billing the user. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein in the calculation of the merit value, a value corresponding to the number of times of each maintenance work carried out by the user and the corresponding value is totaled to calculate the merit value. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the merit value is a value subtracted from a total billing count value for billing the user. 
     
     
         20 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 means for forming an output image on a medium based on image information; and   means for calculating a merit value that benefits a user according to a maintenance work of the apparatus carried out by the user.